5* MLB Heavy Hitter GAME OF THE MONTH on Orioles + 

I love the value here with Baltimore as a home dog against the Red Sox on Monday. This is a huge game for the Orioles, who were just swept in a 4-game series at Toronto over the weekend, including an embarrassing 13-3 loss on Sunday. 

The good news for Baltimore is they are catching the Red Sox at an ideal time. Mookie Betts isn't quite ready to return from the DL and the offense isn't quite the same without him in it. Boston comes in having lost 3 of 4 against the Tigers and White Sox. 

Orioles starter Dylan Bundy is hot at the moment, as he's got a 2.45 ERA and 0.909 WHIP in his last 3 starts and has pitched effectively in his 2 outings against Boston this season. Red Sox will counter with Steven Wright, who pitched well in his first start of 2018, but owns an ugly 7.17 ERA in 4 career starts against the Orioles. Take Baltimore! 

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Dodgers -

I like the value here with the Dodgers at home against the Braves on Sunday. LA ended up on the short end of a 5-3 loss on Saturday, but are still a red-hot 6-2 in their last 8 games. The 3 runs scored on Saturday was the low-point offensively during this impressive run, as the Dodgers had scored 5 or more in each of their previous 7 games, a stretch in which they have averaged 7.7 runs/game. 

I look for LA to stay hot at the plate and come away with a win here behind another strong effort from starter Ross Stripling, who is 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 1.079 WHIP in 7 starts. It's also worth noting that Stripling is 2-0 at home with a 1.42 ERA and 3-0 with a 0.48 ERA in his last 3 starts. Take Los Angeles! 

5* AL Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Angels -

I love the value here with the Angels at basically a pick'em on the road against the Twins. LA is on a roll right now, as they have won 5 straight. They won 4-2 over Minnesota on Friday and the Twins have now lost 3 of 4. I'll gladly take my chances with the team playing the better baseball at this price, especially with the starting pitching matchup we have going. 

LA will send out Tyler Skaggs, who is just 4-4 with a 3.27 ERA in 12 starts, but it's all about pitching away from home for Skaggs. He's 3-1 with a 2.94 ERA and 1.159 WHIP in 6 road starts. Minnesota will send out Kyle Gibson, who is 1-3 with a 3.54 ERA in 12 starts. Gibson would also rather be on the road, as he's 0-2 with a 5.28 ERA and 1.598 WHIP in 6 home starts. Take Los Angeles! 

5* AL East GAME OF THE MONTH on Yankees -

I like the value here with New York as a short road favorite against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. The Yankees won the series opener 7-2 on Tuesday, as they continue to dominate the opposition. Playing on the road hasn't been a problem for New York. The Yankees are 17-9 away from home and have started out their current 9-game road trip by winning 4 of 5. 

The 7 runs scored on Tuesday was the third time in the last 4 games that New York has scored 7 or more runs and I like their chances of laying another big number on Toronto in this one. The Yankees will counter with Sonny Gray, who is starting to heat up. Gray has a mere 5.50 ERA in 11 starts, but owns a 3.57 ERA and 1.075 WHIP in his last 3 starts. In his last 2 road starts, he's given up just 2 runs on 8 hits in 14 innings of work. Take New York! 

5* NL Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Padres -

I like the value here with the Padres as a short home favorite against the Braves on Monday. Atlanta just took 3 of 4 at home against the Nationals after taking the series finale 4-2 on Sunday. They are certainly going to be feeling good about themselves after that big series against Washington and I could see them coming out flat here against the Padres after having to travel clear across the country for this one. 

San Diego is also playing some of their best baseball of the season right now. The Padres just took 2 of 3 against the Reds and are 5-1 in their last 6 overall. A big reason for their success has been their offense coming to life. Padres are averaging 5.4 runs/game over their last 7 and I like their chances of staying hot here against struggling Braves starter Julio Teheran, who is 0-2 with a 5.50 ERA and 1.389 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Take San Diego! 

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Marlins +

I love the value here with the Marlins as an underdog on the road here against the Diamondbacks. Miami is the worst team, but have a big time edge on the mound in this one. The Marlins will send out Daniel Straily, who has a 2.78 ERA and 1.191 WHIP in 4 road starts and a 2.41 ERA in his last 3 outings. Arizona will counter with Matt Koch, who has a 5.19 ERA and 1.356 WHIP in 6 home starts and a ugly 8.59 ERA and 1.910 WHIP in his last 3 outings. Take Miami! 

5* NL East GAME OF THE MONTH on Nationals -

I love the value here with Washington as a short road favorite against the Braves on Saturday. The Nationals will be all business here after losing the first 2 games of the series and they definitely have the edge on the mound to win this one going away. 

Washington will send out Gio Gonzalez, who is 6-2 with a 1.97 ERA in 10 starts. He's also got a 2.10 ERA in 5 road outings and 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 1.016 WHIP in his last 3 home starts. Atlanta will counter with Brandon McCarthy, who has an ugly 5.02 ERA and 1.588 WHIP in 11 starts and has a 6.04 ERA and 1.777 WHIP in 5 home starts. Take Washington! 

5* MLB Big Favorite PLAY OF THE MONTH on Yankees - 

I love the value here with New York at home on Sunday. The Yankees are one of the best teams in baseball at 32-16 and are going to be motivated here to take the rubber match against the Angels. New York will send out Masahiro Tanaka, who is also due for a strong outing. Given his history against LA, it's hard to not like Tanaka's chances of throwing a gem, as he's got a 1.60 ERA and 0.950 WHIP in 5 starts against the Angels. All 5 of those starts resulting in wins for the Yankees. 

It's the exact opposite story for Los Angeles starter Garrett Richards. He has had zero success against New York, posting a 8.46 ERA and 1.611 WHIP in 5 career starts against them. All 5 of those starts resulting a loss. The most recent came on 4/28, where he allowing 9 runs (5 earned) in just 1 2/3 innings before getting pulled. Take New York!

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Astros +

I like the value here with the Astros as a decently priced road dog against the Indians. Houston has the second best record in the major behind only the Red Sox at 33-18. I know Cleveland has one of the best starters in the game on the mound in Corey Kluber, but the price is simply too good to pass up. 

It's not like the Astros are throwing out a scrub here. They are sending a former Cy Young winner of their own to the mound in Dallas Keuchel, who has a 3.43 ERA and 1.143 WHIP in 10 starts. Keuchel is also dealing of late with a 2.25 ERA and 0.950 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Not to mention he's 4-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 6 career starts against the Indians.

The other big key is the Astros have a lot more offensive fire-power than Cleveland and are swinging the bat much better than the Indians of late. Houston is averaging 5.1 runs and hitting .279 as a team over their last 7. The Indians are averaging 3.7 runs and hitting .237 as a team. Take Houston! 

5* MLB Underdog GAME OF THE MONTH on Royals +

I like the value here with Kansas City as a short road dog against the Rangers on Thursday. The Royals just took the final 2 games of their 3-game set at St Louis, so they are coming into this one confident and I think they could catch the Rangers a bit flat after their big series against the Yankees, which saw them rally late for a 12-10 win on Wednesday. 

Kansas City will send out Danny Duffy, who has been a major disappointment in 2018. Duffy is just 1-6 with a 6.88 ERA in 10 starts. Duffy is too good to keep pitching this poorly and given how well he threw against the Rangers last season, this could be his time to breakout. Duffy faced Texas twice last year and allowed just 1 run on 9 hits in 15 2/3 innings of work. 

Texas will send out Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who will be making his first start of 2018. Bibens-Dirx was called up from the minors and I just don't expect a lot from him. He was just okay in his stint with Triple-A and had a 4.67 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 24 appears (6 starts) last year. Take Kansas City! 

5* AL East GAME OF THE MONTH on Red Sox -

I love the value here with Boston as a short road favorite against Tampa Bay on Wednesday. The Red Sox come in having won 3 straight after a 4-2 victory in yesterday's series opener against the Rays. I like their chances of keeping it going here with what looks like a very favorable pitching matchup. 

Boston will send out David Price. While Price hasn't lived up to expectations so far in 2018, he's coming in off his best start of the season. Price threw a complete game against the Orioles, allowing just 2 runs on 5 hits, while striking out 8.

He'll be up against his Chris Archer, who has had an even worse start to the season. Archer is 3-3 with a 5.01 ERA and 1.348 WHIP in 10 starts. He pitched well in his last start, but has been extremely inconsistent. He's also had a miserable time when facing the Red Sox, going a mere 2-12 with a 5.49 ERA and 1.647 WHIP in 20 career starts. Take Boston! 

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Angels - 

I like the value here with the Angels at basically a pick'em on the road against the Blue Jays. LA snapped their 5-game losing streak with a 5-2 win behind a dominant performance from Ohtani on the mound. I like the Angels chance of carrying over that momentum and securing a win on Tuesday. 

A big reason for that is Los Angeles will send out the red-hot Garrett Richards, who has a 1.42 ERA and 0.789 WHIP in his last 3 starts. In his most recent outing he held the loaded Astros lineup to just 4 hits and 0 earned runs over 7 innings. 

Toronto will counter here with J.A. Happ, who is coming off a strong showing against the Mets, but has been a disappointment overall. Happ owns a mediocre 4.15 ERA in 9 starts and owns a 5.40 ERA in 6 road outings. On top of that, Happ has a poor history against the Angels. He's 1-6 with a 6.17 ERA and 1.572 WHIP in 7 starts. Look for LA to have a big day at the plate and bring home the win. Take Los Angeles! 

5* MLB Late Night GAME OF THE MONTH on Angels -

I love the value here with the Angels at home against the Rays on Friday. Los Angeles is going to be extremely motivated here after losing their last 3, including yesterday's ugly 7-1 loss to Tampa in the series opener. 

Hard to not like their chances at home in this one. LA will give the rock to Nick Tropeano, who is coming off back-to-back strong starts at home. He threw 6 1/3 scoreless at home against the Orioles on 5/1 and followed that up by allowing just 3 runs on 5 hits in 6 innings in his most recent outing against the Twins. 

Tampa Bay will send out Blake Snell, who is coming off a poor outing at Baltimore. Snell gave up 5 runs on 6 hits (3 HRs) in just 3 1/3 innings of work. He's now got an ugly 5.06 ERA in 5 road starts and a 4.41 ERA in his last 3 outings. Take Los Angeles! 

5* MLB Vegas No Limit GAME OF THE MONTH on Royals +

I love the value here with the Royals as a home dog against the Rays on Wednesday. Tampa Bay has won 3 of 4 and are way over-priced here. Kansas City has lost 4 straight, but finally got the offense going with 5 runs on 11 hits Tuesday.

I look for that offense to carry over and have a big day against Rays starter Jacob Faria, who is just 1-2 with a 8.55 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 4 road starts. 

The Royals will send out Jason Hammel, who is coming off a bad start at Cleveland, but has been a different pitcher at home. Hammel owns a 6.13 ERA in 8 starts overall, but a mere 3.86 ERA in 3 outings at home. Look for him to keep Tampa in check and for the Rays to leave here a winner. Take Tampa Bay! 

5* MLB Heavy Hitter GAME OF THE MONTH on Pirates -

I love the value here with Pittsburgh at home at this price. The Pirates have started playing great baseball again and have won 5 straight after Saturday's thrilling 6-5 win, where they gave up the lead in the top of 8th, only to take it back in the bottom half of the inning.

As for the Giants, they are headed in the opposite direction. San Francisco has lost 6 straight and it hasn't exactly been pretty. The Giants are averaging 2.7 runs/game over their last 7 and are giving up an average of 7.4 runs/game during this stretch. 

The other big key here is the starting pitching matchup, which I feel heavily favors the home team. Pittsburgh will send out Ivan Nova, who is coming off a couple of poor road outings, but has a 3.38 ERA and sensational 0.900 WHIP at home this season. In his last home start he threw 8 scoreless innings. Giants will send out Derek Holland, who is a mere 1-4 with a 5.66 ERA and 1.257 WHIP in 7 starts. San Francisco is also 0-4 in his 4 road starts this season. Take Pittsburgh! 

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Twins +

I'm recommending a play here on Minnesota, as we are simply getting too good of a price to pass up on with the red-hot Twins. Minnesota defeated the Angels 5-4 on Friday and are now 6-1 in their last 7. The surge offensively has been a big reason for their success, as they are scoring 5.9 runs/game during this run. It's not all offense, as they are only giving up 3.3 runs/game. 

With the way the Twins are swinging the bats, it's hard to not like their chances here with one of their top starters, Kyle Gibson, on the mound. Gibson has only been a part of 2 decisions, but owns a strong 3.49 ERA and 1.216 WHIP in 7 starts. He's also pitched his best on the road, where he has a 2.52 ERA and 0.840 WHIP in 4 outings. Take Minnesota!

5* MLB Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Mets +

I like the value here with the Mets as a big road dog in Friday's NL East action against the Phillies. Most won't hesitate here to back Philadelphia given the Phillies are 15-5 at home and will have veteran Jake Arrieta on the mound. I just don't think there's that big of an edge here on the mound.

New York will send out Steven Matz, who is coming off a great start against the Rockies, where he allowed just 1 run on 3 hits in 6 innings. Matz is 1-3 with a 4.23 ERA, but has pitched much better than his ERA and that's evident by his 1.157 WHIP. I think the Mets have an excellent shot at winning this game and the price here is too good to pass up.  Take New York! 

5* American League GAME OF THE MONTH  on Rangers -

I like the value here with the Rangers at home against the Tigers on Wednesday. While Texas ended up on the losing end of yesterday's game against Detroit, the Rangers got a big boost offensively from veteran Adrian Beltre and I look for his return to the lineup to really get this team going. 

Most are going to look at this pitching matchup in favor of the Tigers, as Detroit sends out Francisco Liriano against the 44-year-old Bartlolo Colon. Both have been sharp early on, but I think Liriano is due for some major regression. He's yet to allow more than 3 runs in a single start. A streak I see coming to an end. In Liriano's last two starts at Texas, he's given up 10 runs on 13 hits (4 HRs) and 6 walks in just 10 2/3 innings of work. Take Texas! 

5* National League GAME OF THE MONTH on Reds -

I love the value here with the Reds at home against the Mets on Tuesday. New York is trending in the wrong direction. Even with yesterday's 7-6 win over Cincinnati, the Mets are just 1-6 in their last 7 games. This is every bit a play on the Reds as it is a fade of New York starter Jason Vargas. 

In his first two starts after missing the first month, Vargas has been downright awful. He's given up 15 runs on 20 hits and 5 walks (5 HRs) in 8 1/3 innings. I just don't see him figuring it out on the road in one of the more hitter-friendly parks in the majors. 

I also think we are about to Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo start to pitch up to his potential. He showed some great signs of turning things around in his last outing, as he allowed just 2 runs over 6 innings against a good Brewers lineup. If Castillo pitches anywhere close to that, this should turn into a blowout rather quickly. Take Cincinnati! 

5* NL East GAME OF THE MONTH  on Phillies +

I like the value here with the Phillies as a decently priced dog in Saturday's contest at Washington. The Nationals are simply getting too much respect here and the price is too good to pass up on Philadelphia. Washington comes in red-hot, having won 6 straight, including a 7-3 win last night in the series opener. This is talented Phillies team that is going to come out extremely motivated to get a win here and I expect them to do just that. 

Washington will send out Tanner Roark and have gone just 6-11 when he takes the mound as a favorite of -125 to -175. The Nationals are also just 1-7 in Roark's last 8 starts on 4 days of rest, 1-4 in his last 5 vs a division opponent and 1-4 in his last 5 at home vs a team with a winning record. Take Philadelphia! 

5* AL Central GAME OF THE MONTH on Royals -

I love the value here with Kansas City as a short home favorite against the Tigers on Friday. The Royals have won 4 of their last 6, while Detroit is just 3-6 in their last 9. Kansas City's offense is rolling right now.

The Royals have scored at least 4 runs in 6 straight games and have combined for 38 hits over their last 3 games. The Tigers had a decent offensive night last night, but have scored 3 or fewer in 7 of their last 9 games. With no advantage in the starting pitching department, this is an easy play for me at this price on the home team. Take Kansas City! 

5* MLB Heavy Hitter GAME OF THE MONTH on Rays -

I love the value here with the Rays as a small home favorite against the Twins on Friday. Minnesota has won 4 of their last 5, but have also played just twice in the last 7 days. Both of those coming in a short 2-game set against the Indians in Puerto Rico, where they scored just 3 runs combined in those two contests. 

It's really hard on hitters to not be out there every day and I think the lack of games will have the Twins offense struggling to score again tonight. Making matters worse for Minnesota is they will go up against Chris Archer, who has absolutely owned them in his career. Archer has made 7 starts against the Twins and has gone 6-1 with a 1.84 ERA and 0.932 WHIP. 

The even bigger key here is we should get some production offensively from Tampa, as they will be going up against the struggling Lance Lynn, who has really struggled with his command in his two starts this season. Lynn has only pitched 9 innings and has walked 10 batters. With the Rays trending in the right direction offensively right now, they should be able to secure the win in this one. Take Tampa! 

5* American League GAME OF THE MONTH  on Orioles -

I love the value here with Baltimore as a short road favorite against the Tigers on Wednesday. It's only a matter of time before the Orioles get on track, but they have won each of the last two starts by Kevin Gausman, who has really pitched well after a poor showing in his first outing of the season against the Twins. Gausman faced Detroit once last season and held them to just 1 run on 3 hits with 8 strikeouts. 

Tigers will send out Matt Boyd, who has surprised with a 1.38 ERA and 0.615 WHIP in his first two starts. I'm not a buying it. His first outing came against a bad Royals offense and the other against a struggling Indians offense in poor playing conditions. Boyd made two starts against the Orioles last year and it wasn't pretty, as he allowed 10 runs on 13 hits and 6 walks in a mere 7 innings of work.

Detroit is just 1-11 in Boyd's last 12 starts and 6-21 in their last 27 after holding their previous opponent to 2 or fewer runs. Take Baltimore! 

5* AL East GAME OF THE MONTH on Orioles -

I love the value here with Baltimore as a short home favorite against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. The Orioles are going to come out extremely motivated here to avoid getting swept on their home field by a division rival. We are getting a great price here due to how lopsided the starting pitching matchup looks on paper. 

Baltimore Kevin Gausman has a 8.00 ERA and 1.667 WHIP in 2 starts, while Toronto's Marco Estrada has a 2.77 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 2 starts. The key here is that Gausman's poor numbers primarily come from his first outing. He was much better in his second start and owns a 3.12 ERA over 13 career starts against the Blue Jays. As for Estrada, last time he made a start on the road against the Orioles, he gave up 6 runs on 10 hits in just 5 innings of work. Take Baltimore! 

5* NL Central GAME OF THE MONTH on Cubs -

I love the value here with the Cubs, as I look for them to have no problem getting a win on the road against the Brewers Saturday. Chicago will send out their prized free agent pickup in starter You Darvish. While Darvish struggled in his first start at Miami, he's poised for a big bounce back effort here. 

I also think the Cubs are going to put up a big number here offensively against Milwaukee starter Zach Davies. Davies was hit hard at home in his last start against the Cardinals, giving up 7 runs on 8 hits in just 5 2/3 innings of work. Cubs are 35-16 in their last 51 off a loss and 26-7 in their last 33 road games vs a right-handed starter. Take Chicago! 

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Cardinals -

I love the value here with St Louis as a short home favorite against the Diamondbacks. The Cardinals got off to a slow start, losing their first two games, but a lot of that had to do with those two coming against two of the NL's best starters in Syndergaard and deGrom. Since then they have won 3 of 4, including a 6-0 win yesterday against division rival Milwaukee. 

Both of St Louis' first two series were on the road, so there's going to be some added excitement and motivation here in the home opener. It's the exact opposite for Arizona, who got to play their first two series at home and now have to go on the road for the first time. This is also a big letdown spot for the Diamondbacks, who are fresh off a sweep against division rival Los Angeles. 

I also like the pitching matchup here, as the Cardinals send out veteran Adam Wainwright, who I believe will be much better than what we saw last year. Arizona counters with Robbie Ray, who was one of last year's breakout starters. However, Ray wasn't sharp at all in his first outing, giving up 7 runs on 7 hits (3 HRs) and 3 walks in 5 innings at home against the Rockies. Take St Louis! 

5* MLB Interleague GAME OF THE MONTH on Giants -

I love the value here with San Francisco as a small home favorite against the Mariners. The Giants will be extremely motivated here to get back in the win column after dropping their last 3 and they have just the guy on the mound to get the job done. San Francisco will send out veteran Johnny Cueto, who is looks poised for a big bounce back season after an injury-plagued 2017 campaign. 

Cueto was sensational in his first start of the season against the Dodgers. Cueto allowed just 1 hit over 7 shutout innings and took a perfect game into the 7th. While Seattle's Felix Hernandez also had a strong first start, he lasted just 5 1/3 innings and could see him struggling here. 

Mariners won the series opener 6-4 on Tuesday and that's worth noting as the Giants are 13-4 in their last 17 home games off a loss by 2 runs or less. Take San Francisco! 

5* MLB Opening Day GAME OF THE YEAR on Brewers

I love the value here with Milwaukee as a short road favorite against the Padres on Opening Day. The Brewers were one of the big surprises of last year, as they gave the Cubs all they nearly dethroned the Cubs in the NL Central. Milwaukee got even better in the offseason, especially on offense, where they added the likes of Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain. This should be an explosive offense and I just don't think they are getting near enough respect here against a mediocre Padres team. 

Not only do the Brewers have the more potent lineup, but they should have the edge on the mound in this one. Milwaukee will send out Chase Anderson, who quietly had a great 2017 season. Anderson went 12-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.090 WHIP in 25 starts. Those are Cy Young worthy numbers, yet no one talks about him being one of the top NL starters. San Diego counters with Clayton Richard, who was 8-15 with a 4.79 ERA and 1.515 WHIP in 32 starts. Richard is also just 3-4 with a 5.79 ERA in 9 career starts against the Brewers. Take Milwaukee! 

5* MLB Money Line 'VEGAS INSIDER' Top Play on Rays +

I like the value here with Tampa Bay as a home dog against the Cubs on Wednesday. While Chicago was able to win the series opener last night, they are not a great road team and I look for them to struggle to come out on top tonight. 

The Cubs will send out Jon Lester, who is having a down year in 2017. Lester owns a 4.30 ERA and 1.306 WHIP in 29 starts. A far cry from his 2.44 ERA and 1.02 WHIP he posted last season in 32 outings. Lester has a 4.19 ERA in 32 career starts against Tampa, which includes an outing at home earlier this season, in which he allowed the Rays to pile on 6 runs on 9 hits in just 5 innings of work. 

As for Tampa Bay's starter, Blake Snell, he was sensational against the Cubs earlier this season, allowing just 4 hits over 5 shutout innings of work. Snell has a way of stepping up his game against the top team, as he's 6-1 against the ML in his last 7 home starts against a team with a winning record. Take Tampa Bay! 

5* MLB Vegas Insider 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Baltimore -

I like the value here with the Orioles as a short home favorite against the Red Sox on Tuesday. While Baltimore's playoff hopes are slim to none at this point, they aren't just going to lie down on their home field against a division rival, especially given how important this game is to Boston. 

The Orioles are an impressive 13-games over .500 at home and I like their chances here behind starter Kevin Gauman, who has gone 8-3 since the end of June and comes in with a 3.37 ERA in his last 3 starts. Boston counters with Drew Pomeranz, who has an impressive 16-5 record, but owns an ugly 4.82 ERA in 4 career starts against the Orioles. 

Solid system in play backing the Orioles in this one. Home underdogs who are averaging between 4.4 and 4.9 runs/game and starting a pitcher who average 5+ strikeouts/start are 41-22 (65%) against the money line vs AL teams with a starter that has an ERA of 4.20 or less. Take Baltimore! 

5* AL Money Line 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Rays -

I really like the value here with Tampa Bay as a short favorite against division rival New York with their ace Chris Archer on the mound. The Rays rebounded after losing the series opener with a 2-1 win on Tuesday. Tampa pitching has owned the Yankees, holding them to a mere 7 hits in the first two games of the series. Now it's Archer's turn to get in on the action and with a 2.82 ERA and 0.988 WHIP in 16 career starts against New York, there's every reason to expect him to dominate here. 

As for the Yankees they will send out Jaime Garcia, who has a not so great 4.52 ERA and 1.433 WHIP in 3 road starts. He's also had some control problems, walking 9 batters over his last 3 starts, which has led to an ugly 1.745 WHIP during that stretch. I'll take my chances here on the Rays offense being able to score enough to get the win. Rays are 16-5 in Archer's last 21 starts when he's throwing on 4 days of rest and 5-1 in their last 6 after scoring 2 runs or less. Take Tampa Bay! 

5* MLB Situational Money Line 'NO BRAINER' on Royals +

I really like the value here with KC as a home dog against the Twins Friday night. The Royals will have a little extra motivation for this one, as they let one get away last night vs Minnesota, blowing a 2-1 lead in the 9th. 

The starting pitching matchup is going to look like it's heavily in favor of the Twins, but I don't think that's the case. Minnesota starter Ervin Santana hasn't been as good in the 2nd half as he was early in the year and is just 6-10 with a 4.69 ERA and 1.338 WHIP in 24 career starts against the Royals. The last two, both this season, have seen him allow 11 runs on 16 hits (3 HRs) in just 12 innings of work. 

It's been a tough go of things for Ian Kennedy, but he did pitch well earlier this month against the Twins and is a veteran that is more than capable of putting it all together for a start. Despite the poor numbers the Royals are 11-5 in his last 16 starts. Take Kansas City! 

5* AL Central Money Line 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Tigers + 

We are getting exceptional value here with Detroit as a home dog against the Royals on Tuesday. I'm not a believer in the Royals, who were fortunate to escape with a 7-6 win in the series opener last night. I also think that Kansas City's starter Jason Vargas is one of the more overvalued starters going right now.

Vargas is 14-9 with a 3.87 ERA in 26 starts, but almost all of his success came early in the year. Vargas has a 7.47 ERA and 1.595 WHIP in his last 3 starts and has allowed 3 or more runs in 8 of his last 10 outings. A stretch in which he's not completed more than 6 innings of work. He's also got an ugly 6.03 ERA and 1.609 WHIP in 11 career starts against Detroit.

Tigers are 15-5 over the last 3 seasons off a 1-run loss to a division opponent and today's starter Anibal Sanchez owns a strong 2.68 ERA and 1.147 WHIP in 11 career starts against the Royals. Take Kansas City! 

5* Red Sox/Yankees AL East 'GAME OF THE MONTH'  on Yankees +

I cashed in on the Yankees Saturday and will fire right back with New York on Sunday with an even stronger play. The Yankees desperately need to win this game, as it's the difference between leaving this series down 3.5-games or 5.5-games to Boston in the AL East. 

The books are begging for you to jump on the Red Sox here as a short favorite with their ace Chris Sale on the mound, but Sale struggled in his last outing against the Yankees, which was just 3 starts ago. As for New York, they send out Luis Severino, who has a strong 3.14 ERA in 26 starts overall and a sizzling 1.83 ERA and 1.068 WHIP in his last 3 starts. 

Note September has not been kind to Sale, as he's just 2-8 over the last 2 seasons in this month. The Yankees on the other hand are 8-2 in Severino's last 10 starts and 9-3 in his last 12 against a team with a winning record. Take New York! 

5* Angels/Rangers AL West 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Angels 

I like the value here with the Angels at basically a pick'em in Friday's series opener against the Rangers. LA just swept the A's and are just 1.5-games back of the Twins for the final Wild Card spot in the AL. Management likes what it sees and went out an added outfielder Justin Upton (expected to play tonight) and veteran second basemen Brandon Phillips (questionable). That's a huge boost for a team that was already confident and I think they ride that wave of momentum to a victory tonight. 

Angels will start Tyler Skaggs, who has a strong 2.51 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 5 road starts and I like him to out perform the Rangers Cole Hamels, who has struggled of late with a 6.23 ERA and 1.731 WHIP in his last 3 starts. LA is 9-2 in their last 11 road games against a team with a winning home records, 5-1 in their last 6 vs a left-handed starter and 4-1 in their last 5 against division opponents. Take Los Angeles! 

5* MLB Situational Underdog 'PLAY OF THE MONTH' on Orioles + 

Baltimore laid it on the Red Sox 16-3 Friday and I look for the Orioles to carry over that momentum and cash in as a big dog on Saturday. Baltimore will send out Kevin Gausman, who is going to be pumped up for this start, as he was ejected on a questionable decision in his last start against the Red Sox back on May 3rd. Gausman didn't have his best stuff last time out against the Angels, but had been throwing well prior to that outing, giving up 2 or fewer runs in 5 of his previous 6 starts. 

Boston counters with Eduardo Rodriguez, who could have some trouble slowing down this Orioles offensive attack. Rodriguez has allowed 7 runs in his last 2 starts and gave up 7 runs on 8 hits (4 HRs) in his last start against Baltimore back on 6/1. Red Sox are just 1-4 in Rodriguez's last 5 starts against division opponents, while the Orioles are 5-1 in Gausman's last 6 starts against the AL East. Take Baltimore! 

5* Pirates/Reds MLB Vegas 'INSIDER' Top Play on Reds +

I like the value here with Cincinnati as a short home favorite against the Pirates. The Reds were able to avoid getting swept by the Cubs with a late rally to win 4-2 on Thursday. I look for them to carry over that momentum here against another division rival. 

Pittsburgh has been playing awful of late. The Pirates are a mere 3-9 in their last 12 games and are coming off a grueling 4-game series at home against the Dodgers. Cincinnati has had their number. The Reds have won 8 of 10 against Pittsburgh this season, including a 3-1 record at home. Pirates starter Ivan Nova is a mere 3-8 with a 4.52 ERA in 14 road starts (4-10 team record). Cincinnati counters with youngster Robert Stephenson, who has a solid 3.00 ERA in his last 3 starts and earlier this month held the Pirates to just 1 run on 2 hit in 5 2/3 innings of work. Take Cincinnati! 

5* NL Central Money Line 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Cubs -

I really like the value here with Cubs in Wednesday's matchup with the Reds. Chicago has owned the Reds, going 37-15 against them the last 3 years. They rallied twice in yesterday's 13-9 win, so they got some momentum rolling over to this one. The Cubs offense has been on fire of late, scoring 6 or more runs in 5 of their last 6 games. They put up a 15 spot in a 10-run win over the Reds and starter Asher Wojciechowski back on 8/14. I'll take my chances on Chicago's offense putting up another big number. 

The Cubs counter with Mike Montgomery, who will making the switch back to the rotation after being used as a long reliever. Montgomery has made 8 starts on the season and has pitched well in the majority of those outings, allowing 3 runs or less in 5 of the 8 starts. Reds are just 2-11 in their last 13 home games with a total of 10 to 10.5 and 8-24 in their last 32 against a left-handed starter. Take Chicago! 

5* MLB Vegas 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Pirates -

I really like the value here with Pittsburgh as a short home favorite against the Cardinals on Sunday Night Baseball. The Pirates snapped their 6-game losing streak with a 6-4 win on Saturday and I like the pitching edge they have in this one. St Louis will send out the struggling Mike Leake, who has been a shell of the guy that started out the season looking like an ace. Leake's now just 7-11 with a 3.87 ERA on the year and comes in with a 8.81 ERA and 2.022 WHIP in his last 3 starts. 

Pittsburgh counters here with Ivan Nova, who is coming off a strong outing at Milwaukee in his last start, allowing just 1 run in 6 innings. Nova has pitched his best at home this year, posting a 2.70 ERA and 1.137 WHIP in 10 home starts (8-2 team record at home). He was sharp in his only career start against the Cardinals earlier this year, allowing just 2 runs on 5 hits (0 walks) in 8 innings of work. Take Pittsburgh! 

5* MLB Interleague 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Diamondbacks -

I really like the value here with Arizona as a short road favorite against the Twins Friday night. Arizona is the much better team here and I'm a big fan of today's starter Zack Godley, who doesn't get the respect he deserves. Godley has a 2.95 ERA and 1.040 WHIP in 17 starts and has an even better 2.72 ERA in 9 road start. Not to mention he comes in red-hot with a 2.45 ERA in his last 3 starts. 

Twins counter with Ervin Santana, who has a respectable 3.28 ERA and 1.132 WHIP in 24 starts, but has not been the same pitcher as the guy who was 7.2 with a 1.75 ERA at the end of May. He's had his fair share of troubles at home, where he owns a 4.01 ERA in 12 starts (5-7 team record). Dbacks are 11-3 in interleague games, which includes a 9-1 record against the AL Central. Take Arizona! 

5* AL Central 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Royals -

I got no problem laying the juice with KC in this one. I know the Royals are slumping and the White Sox have now won 4 straight, but don't be fooled. KC just needs a spark to get back on track. As for the White Sox, this is still the worst team in the majors. Getting to 4 straight is impressive, but I'll take my chances on the streak ending tomorrow. 

This comes down to starting pitching. Chicago's James Shield has an atrocious 6.03 ERA and 1.596 WHIP in 12 starts. He's still on the team more for a mentor than his skill set. He's got a 6.75 ERA in his last 3 starts and he's been consistently bad since returning from the DL. I'll take my chances that KC's offense can do enough here to get the win behind starter Ian Kennedy. Take Kansas City!

5* MLB Heavy Hitter 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Dodgers -

I'll take my chances laying the big juice on LA Thursday given the huge edge the Dodgers have on the mound in this one. Los Angeles will send out their big trade addition in Yu Darvish. He was sensational in his first start with his new team, allowing just 3 hits with 10 strikeouts over 7 shutout innings. In that start he defeated one of the best starters in the NL in the Mets Jacob deGrom.

Today he's opposed by Arizona's Anthony Banda, who has made just 2 big league starts. He was decent in his last outing at San Francisco. However, that's a bad offense and pitchers park. He was much worst in his first start at home against a loaded Natonals lineup. Dodgers are every bit as good, if not better than Washington at the plate. Take Los Angeles! 

5* AL East 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Blue Jays -

I really like the value here with Toronto as a short home favorite against the Yankees. New York is a huge public team and are simply getting too much respect here. The Yankees send out veteran C.C. Sabathia, who is headed in the wrong direction with a 5.28 ERA and 1.305 WHIP in his last 3 starts.

Toronto counters with J.A. Happ, who has been sharp in his last 2 outings, allowing just 4 run with 15 strikeouts in 13 innings of work. Happ is also 7-2 with a solid 3.73 ERA in 15 career starts against the Yankees. That includes a recent outing on July 4th, where he allowed a mere 1 run on 4 hits in 6 innigns of a 4-1 win, which just so happened to come with Sabathia on the mound for New York. Take Toronto!

5* MLB Vegas 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Angels -

I really like the value here with the Angels as a short home favorite against the Orioles on Monday. This is a tough spot for Baltimore, who just finished up their 4-game series at home againt the Tigers yesterday and had to jump on a plane to travel across the country to face LA for the first time this season. 

I look for the Orioles to struggle offensively in this one, as they are a team that relies on the long ball and the ball doesn't fly as well late in LA. The Angels also send out red-hot starter J.C. Ramirez who has a 1.31 ERA in his last 3 starts. Baltiomre counters with Dylan Bundy, who is coming off a strong start, but that was at home on extra rest. With Trout swinging a hot bat, I look for Bundy to struggle here and add to his 4.80 ERA and 1.344 WHIP on the road this season. Take Los Angeles!

5* Cardinals/Reds NL Central 'GAME OF THE WEEK' on Reds -

The fact the Reds are this big of a favorite over a Cardinals team that's fighting to win the division should tell you all you need to know about what side the sharps are on. I've watched numerous starts by Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo and have really been impressed with his stuff.

He's coming off a sensational outing at Miami to close out July, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits over 8 innings. I look for him to tame a Cardinals offense that is scoring a mere 2.1 runs/game over their last 7 contests. Reds won yesterday's series opener and are now a solid 4-1 over their last 5, so they got momentum on their side as well. Take Cincinnati! 

5* MLB Interleague 'GAME OF THE YEAR' on Rays -

This is one of my favorite plays of the season. Tampa Bay should have no problem cashing in a victory in this one. The Rays have a massive advantage on the mound here. They will send out Jacob Faria, who is 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.158 WHIP in 10 starts this season. That includes a 2.81 ERA and 1.091 WHIP in 4 home starts.

Milwaukee is countering here with Brandon Woodruff, who will be making his big league debut. While a top prospect, Woodruff is a mere 6-5 with a 4.46 ERA in Triple A this season and just 1-5 with a 6.69 ERA in his last 10 starts. This is also a tough spot for Milwaukee, who hits the road after two huge series at home against division rivals Chicago and St. Louis. Brewers did take 2 of 3 over the Cardinals, but scored just 9 runs in the process. Take Tampa Bay!

5* American League Vegas 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Orioles -

I cashed in on Baltimore with my strongest play on the board Tuesday and I'm firing back with another Top Play selection on the Orioles Wednesday. Baltimore has won 4 straight and ths is an ideal spot to back them at home when they are playing well, as they are an impressive 32-21 at home on the season. WHile the Orioles are suring, the Royals have now lost 3 of 4 since that 9-game winning streak and I look for the sruggles to continue here. 

KC will send out one of the more overrated starters in baseball in Jason Vargas, who is not as good as his 13-4 record would lead on. Vargas has found things a lot more difficult of late and comes in with a 5.93 ERA and 1.902 WHIP over his last 3 starts. Orioles will counter with newly acquired Jeremy Hellickson and I look for him to shine here against a Royals offense that has manged just 3 runs on 10 hits in their last 2 games combined. Take Baltimore! 

5* MLB Vegas Insider 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Orioles -

Baltimore won in walk-off fashion Monday, defeating the Royals 2-1. That's now 2 losses in KC's last 3 games, which has followed that impressive 9-game winning streak. My money is on the Orioles to keep the momentum going and secure a series win with another victory tonight. Baltimore has won 3 straight overall and are 6-1 in their last 7 home games against the Royals.

Dylan Bundy will start for the Orioles and he's clearly not had the type of season they were hoping for. I still like this spot for Bundy, who has pitched his best at home and was sharp in a previous outing against KC this season, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits with 8 strikeouts in 6 innings of work. Royals counter with Ian Kennedy, who I simply don't trust in this spot. 

Orioles are 47-25 at home off 2 or more wins over the lsat 3 years and the Royals are a mere 8-21 in their last 29 games after scoring 2 runs or less in their last contest.Take Baltimore!

5* MLB Vegas 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Mets -

I like the value here with New York at basically a pick'em on the road against the Padres. The Mets are flying under the radar here due to the fact that they are sending out 23-year-old Chris Flexen to make his big league debut. Flexen is making the jump from Double-A straight to the majors and this highly touted prosect has been throwing the ball extremely well, going 6-1 with a 1.76 ERA in 10 starts this season.

Having the kid make his debut should add some life to the Mets, as well as the fact that they are coming off a disappointing 3-6 loss on Wednesday. Even with that defeat, NY is 6-2 over their last 8. I also think the offense is poised for a big game here, as San Dieogo sends out Luis Perdomo, who is a mere 4-5 with a 4.81 ERA and 1.538 WHIP in 17 starts this season. Take New York!

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Cardinals -

I like the value here with St Louis at home against the Rockies on Tuesday. This is a huge series for the Cardinals and they got it started off right with a 8-2 win on Monday. They are in a great position to add another victory tonight, as they have a clear edge on the mound with Lance Lynn facing off against Jon Gray.

Lynn owns a respectable 3.30 ERA in 20 starts, but has a sensational 2.66 ERA in 8 home starts and has been straight dealing of late with 0.47 ERA and 0.828 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Gray is still trying to figure things out. He's 3-1, but owns an ugly 6.19 ERA and 1.750 WHIP in 7 starts and has a 9.00 ERA on the road and 9.22 ERA in his last 3 starts. Take St Louis!

5* MLB Situational 'HEAVY HITTER' Top Play on Diamondbacks -

I like the value here with Arizona at basically a pick'em against the Nationals. Washington will send out Strasburg, but the Diamondbacks counter with one of the NL's best in Robbie Ray, who is 9-4 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.214 WHIP in 18 starts. He's faced Washington once this season and pitched very well, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits in 10 innings. Ray is a lefty and the Nations aren't nearly the same team offensively against left-handed starters. They are scoring 5.6 runs/game on the season, but just 4.2 runs/game against left-handed starters. Their season average is .276 but only .255 when they go up against a south paw starter. Take Arizona!

5* MLB Vegas Insider 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Red Sox -

I really like the value here with Boston in Saturday's matchup that features David Price on the mound against the Angels' J.C. Ramirez. Price has made just 10 starts in 2017 and it took a little bit to get going, but he's been absolutely on fire of late, posting a 0.90 ERA in his last 3 starts. The most recent being 8 shutout innings against rival New York. He's got a less than great 3.97 ERA in 6 road starts, but he was really good in his last 2 road outings, allowing just 2 runs over 12 innings.

Ramirez for LA has been trending in the wrong direction. He just allowed 4 runs at home in a 3-6 loss to the Rays and has now allowed 4 or more in 3 of his last 4 starts and 6 of his last 9. He's 0-5 with a 5.30 ERA and 1.329 WHIP in 9 home starts this season. I just don't see him matching Price in this one. Note that Prices's last 2 starts in LA have seen him give up just 2 runs with 15 strikeouts to just 2 walks in 16 innings (8 innings each start). Take Boston! 

5* AL Central (ML) 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Twins -

By trading away J.D. Martinez the Tigers made it official that they were throwing in the towel on this season. More key players figure to be shipped before the deadline. I just don't like the mindset of Detroit right now and this is a tough spot having just played in brutally hot conditions yesterday in KC and having to travel north to Minnesota for tonight's opener. The Twins surprisingly are still in the hunt and making moves to try and improve.

Hard to not like Minnesota here with All-Star starter and ace of the staff Ervin Santana on the mound. Santana owns a 2.99 ERA in 19 starts and has allowed 2 or fewer earned runs in each of his last 5 starts against the Tigers. Detroit counters with Anibal Sanchez who is still trying to figure things out, making only his 6th start of the season and he wasn't sharp in his last start agains tthe Blue Jays at home, giving up 5 runs on 9 hits (3 HRs) in just 6 innings of work. Take Minnesota! 

5* MLB Vegas Insider 'TOP PLAY' on Yankees -

I know New York is in a bit of a funk here, but this price is just too good to pass up on the Yankees against the Twins. Minnesota will send out 44-year-old Bartolo Colon, who was run out of town in Atlanta after going 2-8 with a 8.14 ERA and 1.778 WHIP in 13 starts. It's amazing he's still pitching at his age, but I'm not sure what the Twins are thinking here adding him. This is exactly what the doctor ordered for the struggling New York offense.

Twins have not been a good home team and are just 6-16 at home with a total of 10 or more, while the Yankees are 17-3 this season after a 5-game stretch where the bullpen ERA was 2.00 or better. Take New York!

5* National League 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Cubs -

I've been on the Cubs out of the break and they just finished off a sweep of the Orioles in Baltimore with a 8-0 win behind newly acquired starter Jose Quintana. The offense was sensational, scoring 27 runs on 41 hits and it was a collective effort. Whether it was the trade or the 4-days off, this team looks like the team from last year.

How long that will last is hard to say, but I'm riding them right now. Today they got ace Jon Lester on the mound and he's got something to prove after failing to last an inning in his last start. Lester is as competitive as they get and I expect him to respond with one of his best performances. As for the Cubs offense, they should keep it rolling against Atlanta's Julio Teheran, who is a mere 1-6 with a 7.58 ERA and 1.640 WHIp in 9 home starts. Take Chicago!

5* MLB Vegas 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Cubs -

Chicago has came out of the break on a mission and have taken the first two game in this series behind an offensive explosion. The Cubs have scored 19 runs and it's been a team effort with 8 home runs coming from 7 different players. This is the first time since May of last season that the Cubs scored 9 or more runs in consecutive games. 

I believe this is the start of a strong second half and there's certainly going to be no letdown in the series finale, as the Cubs will desperately want to win the first start of their new addition in starter Jose Quintana. He doesn't have great overall numbers, but was pitching on a horrible team. He came to life here in the last couple months, as he owns a strong 2.70 ERA since the beginning of June.

Baltimore counters with Ubaldo Jimenez, who owns a 7.25 ERA and 1.612 WHIP in 13 starts. That as bad as it gets for a guy with 10+ starts. With the way the Cubs are swinging the bat, I don't see this going well for Jimenez and that should get the Cubs into a Orioles bullpen that has been worked hard the last two days. Take Chicago! 

5* MLB Interleague Game of the Month on Cubs -

Chicago was able to come out of the break and secure a 9-8 win over the Orioles. It was nearly a devastating loss, as the Cubs blew a 8-0 lead, needing a home run by Addison Russel in the top of the 9th to secure the win. I really like the focus I saw from the Cubs last night and I look for this team to go on a big run here out of the break.

I'll definitely take my chances with Chicago in this one, as the Cubs send out Jake Arrieta, who the Orioles traded to Chicago. You can bet he's going to be excited for his first start back in Baltimore. Arrieta wasn't great in his final outing, but has been throwing much better of late.

Orioles will counter with southpaw Wade Miley, who posted an atrocious 8.02 ERA and 2.431 WHIP in his final 3 starts before the break and is now 4-7 with a 4.97 ERA and 1.748 WHIP in 18 starts this season. Chicago has owned left-handed starters this season, as they are averaging 6.0 runs/game and hitting .273 with a .361 OBP. Cubs have won 6 straight against lefties, are 7-0 in Arrieta's last 7 starts with 6 days of rest and 7-0 in last 7 interleague games against a team with a losing record! Take Chicago!

5* MLB Post All-Star Break 'SUPER SYSTEM TOP PLAY' on Brewers -

Home favorites have historically held a huge edge in the first game back from the All-Star break and it's at it's strongest with favorites of -130 or more. Going back to 2004, home favorites of -130 or more are 52-17 (75%) against the money line with a ROI of 24.1%! Milwaukee has to be sick of everyone talking about the Cubs and how they will come back to win the division. The Brewers don't get any respect and I like these kind of teams.

Phillies are just playing for pride at this point and are a miserable 13-33 on the road this season. Milwaukee sends out Zach Davies who was surging into the break with a 2.84 ERA and 0.895 WHIP in his last 3 starts. The Brewers offense should give him plenty of support against the Phillies Nick Pivetta, who is 2-4 with a 4.73 in 11 starts overall and owns an ugly 5.56 ERA and 1.764 WHIP in 7 road outings. Take Milwaukee!

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on White Sox +

I like the value here with the White Sox as a underdog in Sunday's series finale before the All-Star break. Chicago will send out future ace Carlos Rodon, who has looked the part in his first two outings of 2017. Last time out Rodon allowed just 2 runs on 4 hits with 10 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work. Colorado starter Kyle Freeland is not in good form, as he's poste an ugly 7.27 ERA and 1.789 WHIP in his last 3 starts and it's been equally bad in all 3, allowing at least 7 hits and 4 runs in each outing.

Rockies are a mere 9-20 in their last 29 interleague home games against a team that has an OBP of .330 or worse in the second half and the White Sox are 17-9 in Rodon's last 26 starts when he faces a team in the 2nd half that is averaging 7 or more strikeouts. Take Chicago! 

5* American League GAME OF THE MONTH on Orioles -

I really like this spot and value with Baltimore as a short road favorite against the Twins. Baltimore will send out Kevin Gausman, who has looked as sharp as he has all season in his last 2 starts and I like his chances of keeping it going in his final start before the break. Gausman didn't allow a run in 5 1/3 innings at Toronto and then tossed 7 scoreless at home against a red-hot Rays team. Twins are still 7-games under .500 at home and hard to trust their starter today. Felix Jorge will make his second career start. He got the win his debut, but was far from dominant, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits with only 2 strikeouts in 5 innings. He was lucky the offense put up 10 runs. I think this is just what the Orioles' struggling offense needs to get going. Take Baltimore!

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Dodgers -

Los Angels has taken each of the first two in this huge series at home against the Diamonbacks and I look for them to have no problem finishing off the sweep in the finale Thursday night. The Dodgers will send out Rich Hill, who after a slow start is looking more and more like the dominant starter we saw last year. Hill has a 1.89 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in his last 3 starts, a stretch in which he's recorded an impressive 26 strikeouts in 19 innings of work.

Arizona will counter with Robbie Ray, who has pitched well, posting a 3.06 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in 16 starts. However, Ray is trending in the wrong direction, as he's got an ugly 5.10 ERA and 1.812 WHIP in his last 3 outings. He last faced the Dodgers on 4/22 and gave up 5 runs on 9 hits in just 5 1/3 innings.  I look for LA's offense to be the difference in this one, as the Dbacks don't figure to do much at the plate against Hill. Take Los Angeles!

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Rangers - 

I was on the wrong end of Monday's game, as the Rangers lost in extra innings. I believe that loss will light a fire under Texas and have them ready to go in front of what should be a packed house on the 4th of July. 

On top of that, the Rangers will send out their ace Yu Darvish, who has really pitched well in his last two starts against the Red Sox, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with 26 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings of work. On the flip side of this, the Red Sox send out David Price, who is still trying to work out the kinks. In 7 starts, he's got a 4.61 ERA and a 5.32 ERA in 4 outings on the road. He's also got a poor history against the Rangers, posting a 5.42 ERA and 1.391 WHIP in 17 starts. Take Texas! 

5* MLB Vegas INSIDER Top Play on Rangers +

I like the value here with Texas as a short home dog against the Red Sox this Monday. The Rangers went just 1-4 over their final 5 of a 10-game road trip, which I believe has them undervalued here at home against Boston. Texas is 5-1 in their last 6 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days. They are also 8-3 in their last 11 following a loss.

The Red Sox come in having won 4 straight and 6 of 7 overall. The only loss during the stretch came with today's starter, Rick Porcello, on the mound. The reigning Cy Young winner has been a major disapponemtnet, as Porcello is a mere 4-10 with a 5.06 ERA and 1.514 WHIP in 17 starts this season. He's 1-4 in 7 road starts and owns an ugly 6.87 ERA in his last 3 outings, not to mention a 5.49 ERA in 11 career starts against these Rangers. Take Texas!

5* Yankees/Astros MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Yankees +

New York had a 6-3 lead going into the bottom of the 8th, before their bullpen had an usual collapse, giving up 4 runs in what turned out to be a 6-7 defeat. That loss isn't going to sit well and I look for the Yankees to come out with a chip on their shoulder in the series finale against the Astros. New York will send out Luis Severino, who has a 2.50 ERA and 1.073 WHIP in 8 road starts and is comign off a strong outing after a couple of subpar showins. Houston's Michael Fiers has pitched well, but is coming off a shaky outing at home against the A's where he gave up 4 runs in 5 2/3 and I like the Yankees chances of getting to him in this one. Take New York!

5* NL Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Cardinals -

I really like the value here with St Louis as a short home favorite against the Nationals. The Cardinals are rolling right now. After taking the opener 8-1 on Friday, they have now won 3 straight and 5 of 6 overall.  I wouldn't be shocked if they kept this going into the All-Star break. I'll take my chances here given the pitching matchup.

Gio Gonzalez is getting a ton of respect from the books here as he's 7-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 16 starts. He's got a 6-1 record in 8 road outings, but he hasn't been as good as the record might suggest. Gonzalez has a not so great 4.06 ERA and 1.333 WHIP in those 8 road starts. With how the Cardinals are playing, I look for them to get to him early and score enough to secure a win behind Michael Wacha, who is 4-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 9 home starts. Take St Louis!

5* Vegas AL Central NO LIMIT Top Play on Royals -

I really like the Royals here as a short home favorite against the Twins. Kansas City has been playing much better of late and have one of the most underrated starters on the mound in Jason Vargas, who is 11-3 with a 2.29 ERA and 1.134 WHIP in 15 starts. He's been outstanding at home, where he owns a 1.92 ERA and 1.064 WHIP in 8 starts. Vargas has allowed more than 3 earned runs just once all season.

Twins counter with Ervin Santana, who is 10-4 with a 2.80 ERA overall, but he's been widely inconsistent of late. Santana has allowed 5 or more runs in 5 of his last 10 starts. He owns a 4.51 ERA in his career against the Royals and after a strong outing last time out, I look for Santana to struggle in this one. Take Kansas City! 

5* MLB Interleague NO LIMIT Top Play on Angeles +

I'm going to jump on the Angels at home as the battle of Los Angeles shifts venues after the two just completed a 2-game set at the Dodgers park. The Dodgers aren't the same team on the road, where they are a mere 3-games over .500 compared to 22 games over .500 at home. The Angels are a solid 21-16 at home and most importantly, I feel they have the edge on the mound in this one.

Angels send out Alex Meyer, who has posted a sensational 2.02 ERA and 1.162 WHIP in 5 home starts. Dodgers will counter with Hyun-Jin Ryu, who is a mere 3-6 and has a 4.57 ERA in 12 starts this season. Ryu is also just 1-4 with a 4.45 ERA in 6 road starts. Angels are 22-9 in their last 31 home games when they come in having won at least 4 of their last 6 and Dodgers are a mere 2-10 in their last 12 road gmes against AL West opponents. Take the Angels!

5* NL West Game of the Month on Giants +

I really like the value here with San Francisco as a big home dog against the Rockies. I cashed in on the Giants last night, as the Rockies were getting way too much respect for a team that had lost 5 straight (now 6) against a quality starter in Samardzija. San Francisco's Matt Cain doesn't have great overall numbers, but our focus is on his performance at home, where he owns a sensational 2.54 ERA in 7 starts. Rockies will send out Jeff Hochman, who owns an ugly 6.60 ERA and 1.667 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Take San Francisco!

5* MLB Vegas INSIDER Top Play on Giants -

I like the value here with San Francisco, who most will want nothing to do with given how good the Rockies have been to start the season and how poorly the Giants have been playing of late. The thing is, Colorado is also struggling at the moment. The Rockies were just swept in a 3-game set at Arizona and have lost 5 straight overall. The  offense hasn't been producing and I look for Giants starter Jeff Samardzija to keep the Rockies bats in check. Keep in mind this isn't a great spot for Colorado, given how big that series was against LA over the weekend and the fact this is now their 4th straight on the road. Colorado is just 1-6 in their last 7 road games and 1-4 in starter Marquez's last 5 starts against division opponents. Take San Francisco!

5* MLB Early Bird NO LIMIT Top Play on Rays -

These two teams have split the first two games of the series and these rubber matches have been a prime spot to back Tampa Bay. The Rays have won 7 straight rubber games and I look for them to make it 8 in a row given the starting pitching matchup. Tampa will send out Jake Odorizzi, who is having a strong season with a 3.78 ERA and 1.217 WHIP in 13 starts. He's been at his best at home, where his ERA is only 3.22 and his WHIP drops to 1.030. 

Baltimore counters with Chris Tillman, who has pitched nothing like the ace of the Orioles staff. Tillman has an atrocious 8.40 ERA and 2.168 ERA over 9 starts. As bad as that is, his ERA is 13.92 on the road and 16.04 in his last 3 starts. Something is clearly not right with Tillman right now. Take Tampa Bay!

5* NL Central GAME OF THE MONTH on Cardinals -

I successfully played on the Pirates in the series opener last night, but was fortunate to win with Pittsburgh scoring 2 runs in the final 2 innings to win 4-3. I'm going to flip flop for Game 2, as I feel the value is now clearly with the Cardinals.

St Louis will send out Lance Lynn, who has a strong 3.33 ERA and 1.162 WHIP in 14 starts overall with a sensational 1.53 ERA and 0.989 WHIP in 5 starts at home. Lynn ranks in the Top 20 in ERA and is 8th in opponents batting average at .207. Not to mention he was excellent at home against these Pirates earlier this season (4/17), allowing just 3 hits over 7 shutout innings. Pittsburgh will counter with Gerrit Cole, who has a 4.28 ERA in 15 starts overall and 5.01 ERA in 8 road outings. Take St Louis!

5* AL West GAME OF THE MONTH on Mariners -

Seattle comes in having won 5 straight and are fresh off a 4-game sweep of the Tigers at home, improving their home record to 24-13 on the season. The Mariners are now 1-game over .500 and should get a big boost here with the return of veteran ace Felix Hernandez, who I think is going to not only provide an emotional lift to this team, but will be a dominant starter for them. Hernandez certainly looked the part in his last rehab start, where he struck out 8 over 6 scoreless innnings.

He's going to be excited for the challenge of facing this Houston lineup and I expect him to deliver. I also don't think he has to be great for Seattle to win here. Astros send out Joe Musgrove and his 5.09 ERA and 1.414 WHIP in 12 starts. Mariners offense has been rolling, scoring at least 5 runs in each of their last 5 games. Take Seattle! 

5* MLB Vegas INSIDER Top Play on Indians -

I'm willing to lay the big number here with Cleveland, as they have a massive edge on the mound here with Carlos Carrasco facing off against Kevin Gausman. Carrasco is 7-3 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.008 WHIP in 13 starts. Opponents are hitting just .208 against him, which is the 10th best mark in all of baseball. Carrasco has been at his best on the road, where he's 5-1 with a 2.89 ERA and 0.939 WHIP in 7 starts (6-1 team record). Gausman is 3-6 with a 6.60 ERA and 1.920 WHIP in 15 starts. Opponents are hitting a ridiculous .338 against him with a .408 OBP. It hasn't been any better of late, as he owns a 9.19 ERA and 2.234 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Keep in mind he's facing a red-hot Indians offense that has scored at least 5 runs in 7 straight games. Take Cleveland!

5* Pirates/Brewers NL Central NO LIMIT Top Play on Pirates +

Pittsburgh is showing some great value here as a short road dog against the Brewers. The Pirates are playing much better of late, as they are 6-3 over their last 9. A lot of that has to do with Andrew McCutchen producing at an elite level. In his last 23 games, McCutchen is hitting .381 with 7 home runs and a .454 OBP. Pittsburgh's offense should be able to get going here against Milwaukee starter Zack Davies, who has an ugly 5.40 ERA and 1.637 WHIP in 7 home starts and an ugly 9.56 ERA and 2.250 WHIP in 4 career starts against the Pirates.

It's the opposite for Pittsburgh starter Chad Kuhl, who owns a respectable 3.42 ERA and 1.253 WHIP in 5 road starta and a 1.76 ERA and 0.978 WHIP in 3 career starts against the Brewers. Milwaukee is just 2-6 in their last 8 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game, while the Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 road games against a team with a losing home record. Take Pittsburgh!

5* MLB Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Braves +

I like what I have seen from Atlanta here of late. After taking 2 of 3 on the road against the Nationals, they bounced back after losing the series opener at home to the Marlins by winning the final two games. The offense has really come alive during this stretch, as they have scored 5 or more runs in 5 of their last 6 games. Good chance they can keep the offense going against San Francisco's Johnny Cueto, who is 5-6 with a 4.57 ERA and 1.350 WHIP in 14 starts overall. Cueto also has an ugly 4.87 ERA in 8 road outings and a 5.40 ERA and 1.860 WHIP in his last 3 starts.

The Giants as a whole have lost 6 straight and are just 6-19 over their last 25 games. Atlanta is going to send out veteran R.A. Dickey, who doesn't have great overall numbers, but is a respectable 3-1 with a 3.74 ERA in 7 home starts. Last time he took the mound at home, he held the Phillies to just 1 run on 3 hits with 8 strikeouts in 7 innings of work. Braves are 4-0 in Dickey's last 4 home starts against a team with a losing record and 5-1 in his last 6 after scoring 5 or more runs in their previous game. Take Atlanta!

5* MLB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Braves -

I really like the value here with Atlanta as a short home favorite agaisnt the Marlins. The Braves evened up the series with a thrilling 8-7 win in extra innings yesterday and are in a prime spot to build off that Sunday. Atlanta will send out Mike Foltynewicz, who was sharp in his previous start against Miami this season, allowing just 1 run over 6 innings of an 8-4 win. Miami is countering with Jose Urena, who is 0-3 with a 9.82 ERA in 3 career starts agains thte Braves and comes in with a 5.06 ERA in 3 road starts and 5.28 ERA in his last 3 starts overall. Take Atlanta!

5* Cubs/Pirates NL Central Game of the Week on Pittsburgh +

I really like the value here with the Pirates as a home dog against the Cubs. Chicago stole the series opener yesterday with a 6-run 9th inning to secure a 9-5 win. I still like the way Pittsburgh has been playing here of late and despite the fact the Cubs will send out former Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta, I think the Pirates have the edge on the mound here. Arrieta has been a big disappointment for the Cubs, as he's just 6-4 with a 4.68 ERA and 1.329 WHIP in 13 starts this season. He's been even worse than that on the road, where he's 3-4 with a 5.20 ERA and 1.444 WHIP in 8 starts.

On the flip side of this, the Pirates are sending outing one of the big surprises of 2017 in terms of starters. Ivan Nova, who could never put it all together with the Yankees, is 6-4 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.011 WHIP in 13 starts. He's been at his best at home, where he owns a 2.29 ERA and 0.915 WHIP. In his only start against the Cubs (last September), Nova allowed just 1 run on 4 hits in 5 1/3. Arrieta has allowed 16 runs in his last 3 starts against the Pirates all coming since last August. Take Pittsburgh!